CMU president holds press conference regarding civil rights investigation

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (WILX) - Thursday morning, Central Michigan University President Bob Davies held a press conference to address the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and its intent to investigate allegations of racial discrimination regarding the ending of the men’s track and field program.

Background: 1,400 join committee, ACLU in requesting CMU listen to student athletes

A letter from Davies states the complaint specifically alleges the University discriminated against African American students based on race when it eliminated the varsity men’s track and field team, replacing it with a varsity men’s golf team.

The racial discrimination allegations were made by Russell Dinkins, a national consultant whose organization works to reinstate men’s track and field programs at colleges and universities across the US.

In 2019-20, the men’s track and field team had 30 student-athletes: 3 Black students, 3 multi-racial students, 2 international students, and 22 white students.

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